What to Know About Hospice Care

Serious illness and the imminent passing of a family member or close friend can be one of the most challenging and heart-wrenching times in a person’s life. Luckily, the ability of healthcare professionals to work alongside patients and family members as they face these difficult moments is rising to the challenge. Hospice is one of the most important resources available to those facing terminal illness.

What is Hospice Care?

Hospice, as we know it today, started in the 1960s in the United Kingdom and has grown and evolved to serve patients and to support their families and loved ones. Hospice care is usually prescribed by a primary care physician, cardiologist, or oncologist when a patient’s health declines to the extent that curative care is no longer effective.

Hospice is person-focused care. Hospice services often involve a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and other healthcare professionals to support the patient. Care focuses on pain management and providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support for the patient and their family during the process of dying. This care can be given at a hospital or a hospice center, but is often provided at the patient’s home where they can stay in familiar and comfortable surroundings with family and friends around them.

Hospice care costs vary, depending on whether the care is in the home, the hospital, or a hospice care facility, and the level of care needed. Medicare Part A offers hospice coverage for eligible patients, and private insurance may cover some costs.

Stories of Hospice

Having experienced hospice services for a family member myself, I know how helpful hospice can be. Perhaps the best way to describe the benefits of hospice is to hear from a few families who have been the beneficiaries of it. They share their stories below along with some advice for those who want to understand why to seek hospice care. (To respect their privacy, the families quoted have been kept private.)

“Hospice was our lifeline and care team during the last thirteen days of my husband’s life. From the first consultation at our home to the last conversation on the phone with the hospice nurse, they assisted me and my daughters who were taking care of my husband. Everyone who entered our home and spoke with us was focused on keeping him pain-free. The nurse and nursing assistant laid hands on him and bathed him with love and care. They walked us through each step of the dying process using language we could understand and helped us emotionally as we took on the responsibility of taking care of our beloved spouse and father. He knew he was in good hands with hospice care. He was thankful for each person who came to help him and held their hand as they cared for him.” 

“Our advice—talk about the responsibility of being caregivers at home or admitting someone to a hospice care center. There are things to consider. Hospice entered our home almost daily to check on my husband, offer guidance, and showed us new ways to keep him comfortable both in bed and with medication.  It takes a team to have someone stay at home. At least two of us were needed at all times. It was physically and emotionally draining. Hospice was exceptional for us. We are forever grateful for their care, love and support.”  

“Hospice helped us when my husband decided to stop chemo after a long battle with cancer. This allowed him to be at home surrounded by family and friends. It was comforting for him to be in our home and not need to leave for medical care. The nurse directed the care and the social worker helped acquire the equipment. They supplied all the necessary medical equipment and medication and knew exactly what we’d need, so I didn’t have to find the resources myself. The hardest part was knowing that this was palliative care, not a continuation of the curative care he had been receiving.”

“My advice—don’t be afraid of the word hospice, especially if you want to stay home when you pass away. We couldn’t predict that my husband would only be at home for ten days. Having hospice care at home allowed us to invite everyone to come see my husband and he loved the attention. We had a rosary led by his uncle, and our priest came to visit and anoint him. We had caregivers assisting around the clock, so he wanted for nothing in his final days.”

“Our hospice experience had an added layer of complexity to it—our two-year old daughter was being treated. The hospice program spent an equal amount of time focused on those family members caring for our child as they did medically managing her pain and discomfort. They helped us navigate the emotional confusion surrounding saying goodbye to a child and helped our four-year old son understand what was happening with his sister. We could not have made it through that experience without the hospice program’s love and support for our family!”

“Hospice workers are true angels. They treat the sick and the dying, but just as important, they treat the living and loved ones that will have to somehow make it through this horrible experience of saying goodbye to a loved one.”

“Our daughter had some complicated drugs that couldn’t simply be picked up at the local pharmacy. We needed to travel quite a bit to find specialty pharmacies that were equipped at compounding these complicated medications. One benefit of the hospice program that we didn’t expect was that they had those medications delivered directly to our door, saving us time and worry during her last few weeks. This allowed us to spend even more time hugging and doting on her and we are forever thankful for that!”

While it can be frightening to hear the word “hospice…” from a doctor, these services can be profoundly helpful for both the patient and their family and friends. If there is anything we can do to assist as you navigate or consider care for yourself or a family member, please feel free to reach out to your Coldstream advisor.

*Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ in the U.S.